My BUPA only covers 50% of the costs if it’s a bike accident.

last updated 24th November 2009

This year I renewed my BUPA package and about a month later I was forced to take on the social insurance and nominate my two local private hospitals as my nominated hospitals.
Now if I get sick which insurance do I use first my BUPA or my Social. If god forbid I fall off the bike - which insurance do I claim on first for health.

With Social Security insurance you can go to a private hospital only if it is a “registered” participant in the SSO program. You can go to a “non-registered” hospital only if you require emergency care because of an accident or serious illness and you have no other choice. But the amount they will reimburse you is more limited. With BUPA, you can go to a “non-member” hospital and get reimbursed later.

The maximum Daily Room and Board benefit paid by SSI is only 700 baht a day. If you want a more expensive room you have to pay the extra yourself. But they say they will pay 100% of most of your other medical expenses. They will also pay you half your salary while you are hospitalized or otherwise disabled. It’s not a bad deal. The major problem they have with the program is that many of the “registered” hospitals end up losing money on the deal and drop out.

So, what should you do? That depends on you. If the subscriber hospital near you is satisfactory for your needs, use it and use BUPA to cover the additional cost of the room. If you are really lucky, the “subscriber” hospital will also be a BUPA “member” hospital and you won’t have to pay anything out of your pocket. Your other option is to go to the “non-subscriber” BUPA “member” hospital of your choice and not use SSI at all for inpatient hospitalization. About your accident insurance: Insurance like that usually pays on top of any other coverage you have. It often even allows you to make a profit from your accident. Check with the company you got the policy from.
By the way, BUPA pays 100% for medical treatment of motorbike accidents, not 50%.

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